SM Skating organized a celebration on August 31 at its SM Megamall location to welcome the Philippines’ ice athletes who successfully competed in the 29th Southeast Asian (SEA) Games. The gathering was the ice skating operator’s way to welcome and salute the team for bringing home three medals from the inaugural set of winter sports in the biennial regional sports event.
PH Ice Athletes during SM Skating’s welcome party
Being the sole operator of Olympic-size ice skating rinks in the country, SM Skating (one of the lifestyle brands under SM Lifestyle Entertainment, Inc. or SMLEI) is known for continuously supporting national ice athletes in their journey to global success. It has also served as training ground for the national ice athletes especially during their preparations prior to SEA Games.
SMLEI President Edgar Tejerero personally welcomed and congratulated these ice athletes during the gathering. (SM Skating is one of the brands under SMLEI.)
Figure skating bronze medalist Allison Perticheto and silver medalist Michael Martinez (Photo from SM Skating’s FB page)
Among those who were honored was Allison Perticheto, who bagged the bronze medal for figure skating, women’s division. The 20-year-old figure skater is not new to such competitions as she had already competed in free skate events in Italy, Taiwan, and South Korea in the past.
Michael Christian Martinez, perhaps the most popular among all these ice athletes, won a silver medal for figure skating, men’s division. Martinez made history in 2014 when he was the sole Filipino sportsman who competed in the Winter Olympics. In 2016 he became the first ever athlete from a tropical country and from Southeast Asia to qualify for the Olympics. The 21-year-old figure skater started his career when he was seven by training at SM Skating’s Mall of Asia rink. He eventually began intense training for competitions under the support of SM Prime Holding Inc. Executive Committee Chairman Hans Sy.
The national ice hockey team
Meanwhile, the country’s first national ice hockey team brought home the inaugural gold for the sport. The team started as a community of pure hockey enthusiasts who regularly trained at SM Skating rinks in 2008. It has since participated in various regional tournaments and gained recognition from the International Ice Hockey Federation in 2016.
SM Skating operates four Olympic-size rinks located in SM Mall of Asia, SM Southmall, SM Seaside Cebu City, and SM Megamall.
